UPS Healthcare expands medical logistics hub in Ostrava, Czech Republic

UPS has more than doubled the size of its Healthcare logistics hub in Ostrava, Czech Republic, creating up to 50 new jobs. The business has added 6,000m² of state-of-the-art and GDP-compliant space, housing validated controlled-temperature environments for a variety of temperature-sensitive medicines and biologics.

“Our customers are in some of the fastest growing healthcare markets in the world, and their next generation products demand near perfect service. We’re not only investing to meet our customer’s needs for quality end-to-end solutions, but also in the communities where we work and live by creating new jobs,” said Fredrik Jansson, Managing Director, Central & Eastern Europe, UPS Healthcare Europe.

Located in the heart of Central & Eastern Europe, the facility will support growth and greater access to the fast-growing Eastern European markets, providing pharmaceutical and medical device customers in the Czech Republic with another direct link from Europe to UPS’s global network.

The Ostrava hub, UPS’s first dedicated healthcare logistics facility in the country, opened in October 2021 with a 3,800m²facility. The expansion will enable faster shipment times and greater flexibility for customers, as well as offer Hospital & Pharmacy Distribution across the Czech Republic and to Slovakia, Poland and Hungary.

Innovations in biologics, specialty pharmaceuticals and personalized medicine means that 80% of pharma products in Europe now require temperature-controlled transportation. And UPS continues to make investments to capitalize on this trend.

Recently, the company announced plans to acquire the Bomi Group, which has temperature-controlled facilities in 14 countries in Europe and Latin America and will add nearly 3,000 highly skilled Bomi team members. With the approved completion of this acquisition by 2023, UPS Healthcare will have more than doubled the footprint of its facilities since 2020.

It also expanded UPS Premier, a technology-enabled express delivery service, that upgrades small packages with advanced sensor technology as well as ensures a priority lane in UPS’s global network.